Have you ever sensed another person’s aura—or energy?
You’re around them and soon you notice that you’re feeling more energetic yourself.
Or maybe you begin to feel the opposite—tired and negative. You wonder why the sudden change. You were feeling good before!
It’s true that we can be affected by another person’s energy. Each of us exudes this energy everywhere we go. We’re like suns—some days, we’re bright and cheery and our rays make everyone else feel good.
Other days, we’re covered over with clouds and people around us retreat indoors.
How can you tell what energy your exuding?
What is Aura?
You may have heard about aura sometime in the past, but be unsure what it is.
You’re not alone. There is no one definition, though most would agree that it has to do with your “energy.”
But what energy are we talking about?
It has something to do with how energetic you feel, but that’s only a small part of it. You can think of it as a field of energy surrounding your body that may be affected by your mood, emotional state, personality characteristics, and even your spiritual well-being.
We humans can detect this energy field from other humans and even from animals. We don’t necessarily see it with our eyes (though some people say they can see aura colors), but we can sense it on a deeper level.
You may blame yourself for feeling nervous or negative around a person, but if you were feeling fine before, it’s worth considering that the other person’s aura may be seeping into you.
Similarly, a person with a positive, energetic aura can leave you feeling more uplifted after visiting with them than you did before.
Can You See Someone’s Aura?
I have never personally sensed another person’s aura in color, but many others have.
Frances Ellen, writing for Everyday Health, suggests that if you want to try to see the color in a person’s aura, that you position them in front of a white background and focus on a spot in the middle of their forehead.
Concentrate on that spot for 60 seconds, and then use your peripheral vision to scan the outer edges of the head, shoulders, and arms. “If the white around these areas is brighter, you have just witnessed the presence of an aura,” Ellen says.
Since that’s difficult to do in most social situations, though, you may want to simply imagine the person in front of a white background. While conversing with them, you can focus on their eyes (as you normally would), occasionally glancing at the spot between those eyes.
What do your senses tell you? Is this a positive or negative energy? Vibrant or quiet? Strong-willed or humble?
Do Auras Have Colors?
If your curious about your own aura, Leslie McDonald over at Thrive Global suggests placing your hand in front of your face and then staring at it until the image of your hand begins to blur.
“Notice any colors that begin to present themselves. The colors and lights that you see when your hand is no longer in focus is your aura!”
According to Sarah Regan, writing for MBG Mindfulness, “Someone’s aura is usually a combination of colors, with one being more dominant than the others.”
Ellen notes that Edgar Cayce, founder of the Association for Research and Enlightenment, “believed that one’s aura color is the reflection of the soul, mind and spirit.” She focuses on seven aura colors and their meanings. (Check out her quiz to see which one is dominant for you!)
Others name up to 10 potential aura colors.
What Do the Aura Colors Mean?
Most energy enthusiasts agree upon the general characteristics of each aura color. As Regan said, we all have a combination of colors in these energy fields, but one is often dominant.
Each color is also connected to a “chakra” (energy point in the body), which is mentioned below. We’ll talk about chakras more in future posts.
Red (root chakra): Strong-willed, energetic, fiery, and sometimes impulsive.
Orange (sacral chakra): Courageous, adventurous, thoughtful, creative, sensual.
Yellow (solar plexus chakra): Cheerful, charismatic, confident, playful.
Green (heart chakra): Social, quick-witted, organized, nurturing.
Blue (throat chakra): Helpful, understanding, clear communicator, expressive.
Indigo (third-eye chakra): Imaginative, daydreamer, intuitive, highly sensitive.
Violet (third-eye chakra): Dynamic, powerful, motivated, leader.
Tan (combination): Logical, analytical, practical, strategic.
Magenta (combination of root and throat): High-energy, creative, eccentric, optimistic.
Turquoise (combination of heart and throat): Compassionate, healer, communicator, multi-tasker.
Can You Boost Your Aura?
Though you may be born with certain characteristics in your aura, you also have a lot of control over it.
If you’re going through a period in your life when you’re feeling irritable, negative, or fatigued more than usual, you can take steps to “cleanse” your aura and start fresh.
This is your energy we’re talking about, after all. Anything you can do to improve your overall health and wellness is likely to boost your energy as well, and help you feel more positive overall.
That’s why those who talk about “cleansing” your aura mention standard healthy habits like getting enough sleep, engaging in stress-relieving activities, exercising regularly (in a way that you enjoy), and meditating.
Other good ways to fortify your energy and perhaps strengthen your aura at the same time include deep breathing exercises, going for walks in nature, and making your home and work area clean and comfortable.
Personally, though these recommendations can be helpful, I find it more beneficial to think about clearing blockages than cleansing your aura.
How to Clear Obstacles So Your Energy Can Flow Free
Often when we’re feeling irritable or negative, it’s because something is blocking our good energy.
Usually this is something in your life that is contrary to your inner nature. Maybe your job is forcing you into a role that doesn’t fit you and you need to see if you can modify it and use your strengths rather than your weaknesses.
Maybe you have a dream that you are ignoring, and your inner self is starting to bug you about it enough to mess up your energy flow.
Or perhaps your daily routine is no longer good for you and it’s time to change it up.
You can tell that something is blocking your energy flow if you feel:
- unmotivated
- sluggish
- bored or like you’re in a rut
- disconnected from yourself
- longing for something new
If any of these sound familiar, try the following tips to make positive changes. Some of them may seem silly or unrelated to what you’re experiencing. The goal is simply to shake things loose so that your creative energy can flow again.
1. Clean out your closet.
You may not think that what you wear has much to do with how you’re feeling right now, but getting rid of the outfits that no longer suit you can open you up to new possibilities in your wardrobe—which can then open you up to new possibilities in other areas of your life, too.
2. Journal about what’s bugging you.
You may not know what’s causing your blocks. That’s okay. Just start journaling for about 10 minutes per day about how you feel. You can talk about what’s going on in your life, too, but make sure you get to the emotions. Getting them down in writing can help reveal what may be at the root of your malaise.
3. Go for a long drive.
Sometimes we fail to spend quality time with ourselves. We’re so busy running here and there doing this and that, it’s no wonder we can’t figure out what’s going on inside ourselves.
Go for a long drive, a long walk, a hike, or anything that allows you to be with yourself, unhindered, for a few hours. Leave the phone at home and just “be” for a while.
4. Do something you’ve never done before.
Often we get stuck in negative energy patterns because we aren’t challenging ourselves. It’s easy to get comfortable doing what you’re doing, even if it’s not the best for you.
Have the courage to try something new. Take a class, go on a trip to a new location, or join up with a new type of social group. If you feel a little nervous about doing it, that’s a good sign—it means you’re doing it right.
How do you cleanse your aura and remove energy blocks?